


Break Her

by Feralious



Category: The Following
Genre: Emotional Manipulation, Episode Tag, F/M, Strangulation, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-25
Updated: 2013-03-25
Packaged: 2017-12-06 12:51:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/735909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feralious/pseuds/Feralious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joe and Emma get back to talking about their little 'indiscretion' the other night. Joe thinks he can just let her down easy, but Emma won't have it - and you can only push a psychotic serial killer so far until he snaps.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Break Her

He looked up as he heard the door creak open. “Hello, Emma.”

“Hi, Joe…”

He smiled as she met his gaze. “Do come in.”

A little hesitant she shuffled inside. Joe tilted his head a little, watching her every move.

“What can I do for you?”

She looked away, fidgeting. She didn’t speak.

“Emma?” He added some concern to his voice, although he really wasn’t in the mood to talk to her.

She seemed to have regained her courage, because her eyes locked on his again, her tongue quickly darting over her lips.

They hadn’t spoken about their ‘indiscretion’ yet, not since Roderick had thankfully appeared to save him from going down that dangerous road. Joe had known he would eventually have to have that conversation, but he wanted to be prepared; be sure he said the right things.

Truth be told, he couldn’t care less about Emma, but he needed her – and for that she needed to believe that he _did_ care for her, a great deal. He’d spent years grooming his associates, always smiling, always willing to help. And in return they’d do everything for him.

That night Emma had done something for him, even though he now hated her for it. She should’ve stopped him, prevented him from making that mistake – he’d been drinking, he hadn’t felt a woman’s touch in over nine years, Claire still wasn’t here, but there was Emma… young, beautiful, _willing_ Emma. Oh, she was so desperate for him, his attention, his approval – he could have her anytime he wanted, but he didn’t – he wanted Claire, he’d always only want her.

“Joe – about the other night…”

He faintly smiled. “Yes?”

“You never told me what you… what you thought. About us.” This time she refrained from touching him, perhaps aware of the fact that he’d only pull away if she did.

“Oh, Emma…” He reached out, put his hands on her shoulders; her tiny frame so vulnerable and _breakable_ underneath his fingers. “It meant a lot to me, it really did. But I am so sorry. You know –”

“Yes, Claire, I know,” she said, frustration very apparent in her voice, but her face surprisingly calm. “I know, Joe, I’m not asking you to – I just thought that, maybe… she’s still not here...”

“Emma. Emma, look at me.” He placed his hands on her cheeks, forcing her to look up at him, because she’d glanced away when she started to ramble on. “If we do this, I’ll only end up hurting you, and I don’t want to do that. I’ll always go back to Claire, that’s just the way it is.”

He could tell she tried her best to keep the tears away and he had to admire her determination, even if it really didn’t come at the best of times.

“I’m okay with you hurting me,” she said. “I don’t care, I really don’t –”

“Shh.” He leaned slightly forward, kissing her forehead. “I care so much about you,” he said, looking empathetic even if at this moment all he wanted for her was to disappear and never come back. Right now this childlike infatuation was rather inconvenient. “I’m sorry, Emma. I know you have these feelings for me and I wish I could reciprocate them, I really do… but I would just be taking advantage of you. You deserve so much better than that.”

Lovely speech, if he had to say so. Now there was no way –

His eyes widened in surprise as her hand was on his chest again, snaking upwards. He caught it immediately in a swift movement, grip firm yet gentle, asking her, “What are you doing?”

“I told you I don’t care,” she breathed, slightly leaning into him. “Hurt me. Destroy me. Do whatever you want with me, Joe, I’m all yours…”

Her lips ghosted over his cheek and he almost froze, because this wasn’t the plan, this wasn’t how this was supposed to go – he wanted to let her down easy; keep her feelings for him intact so he could make use of them later, but this…

 _Stupid girl_ , he thought, jaw clenching as his fingers tightened around her wrist. He barely even noticed her halting her actions as she felt the tension building in his body. _Either she doesn’t get that she’s had her one and only chance, or she thinks she can persuade me…_ Whichever way you looked at it, she was a fool.

And at once he’d had enough of this, enough of playing nice, of keeping her hopes up for his own benefit – he couldn’t use her if she refused to listen to him, if she failed to understand that what happened was a mistake that should be buried deep in the past.

His free hand shot up and tightly gripped her throat, pushing her away from him; not letting go as Emma’s touch left his body.

He could feel her pulse racing as he narrowed his eyes, his own heartbeat increasing. “Don’t you see, Emma,” he spoke with icy calm, “that you and I should _never_ have happened? Sweet, stupid girl…” His grip still tightened and he could hear her struggling for air, her fingers clawing at his; and despite his best intentions he could feel that familiar rush building. “You have taken advantage of _me_. I was lonely, I was _drunk_ , I would’ve slept with _anyone._ ”

At this he let go of her; knowing that if he didn’t, he’d end up killing her. He watched as she fell to the ground, coughing, taking in deep breaths of air.

He refrained from sighing in frustration and knelt down in front of her, not wanting this to endanger his larger purpose. He still needed her, and he still had far too much power over her.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized yet again, reaching over and brushing some hair out of her face, fingers lingering on her cheek. “I’m sorry, Emma, I lost my cool.”

She looked at him, perhaps a tinge of fear in her eyes. But that was okay – they all did. It’s part of what made them such exquisite associates.

“Are you alright?”

She nodded, not getting up, still staring at him. He smiled reassuringly, standing straight and offering her a hand. She took it.

“What do you say we get you a drink?” he said, gesturing towards the drinks cabinet. A little dazed she walked towards it, subconsciously rubbing a hand over her throat, and he watched her distance herself from him.

By the time she turned around to ask him whether he wanted something he’d left, retreating to his room, locking the door behind him.

He was angry with himself, so angry for giving in to his most inherent desires, both the other night and now. He’d never blamed Claire for sleeping with Ryan, never. He’d understood that sense of loneliness, that need for intimacy; that longing for someone to love him.

Giving in to Emma had temporarily made him forget, but now those feelings came crashing down upon him again, and he groaned and shut his eyes, silently promising himself that the next person to deliver bad news on Claire’s retrieval would die the most bloody, violent death so far.

Emma would never know it, but for that, for making him forget and then remember how much he missed his wife, those feelings that he too experienced, he deeply, profoundly resented her.


End file.
